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An information prescription for veterinary clients

From home remedies for fighting fleas to diet tricks for finicky felines, the web is full of enough information—and often misinformation—to make a client's head spin. Guide them to reputable sites with this handout.

Jan 09, 2014

By dvm360.com staff

VETERINARY ECONOMICS

It's a fact: Your clients are using the Internet to find answers to common questions about their pet's care. The problem? The sites they're using to gather this information.

Dr. Robin Downing, DAAPM, owner of Windsor Veterinary Clinic and the Downing Center for Animal Pain Management in Windsor, Colo., is all too familiar with the information pitfall pet owners can plunge into while surfing the web.

"Sometimes clients come into the exam room with a stack of papers they've printed out," she says. And it's her job to steer them back on track.

To do so, Dr. Downing keeps her practices' websites up-to-date with the most current and accurate information about veterinary care and also provides links to other reputable sources. And to make sure clients know where to go for good information, every client gets a handout with a list of websites—including Dr. Downing's—for trusted, veterinarian-approved information on a variety of pet care topics.

Dr. Downing and her team members work the handout into the client visit and open the discussion by acknowledging the amount of information available on the Internet and letting clients know that her team is there to offer guidance.

"So far we've had an overwhelmingly positive response," says Dr. Downing. "Clients have really thanked us for taking the initiative."

To download a copy of the Internet information prescription handout, click here.